Jackson State killings

The Jackson State killings occurred on 15 May 1970 when the Jackson, Mississippi police fired on a dormitory at Jackson State University, killing 2 students and wounding 12. A group of 100 African-American students gathered at Lynch Street to pelt rocks at white motorists, and they also started fires and overturned several vehicles. 75 policemen were sent to the scene to protect firemen as they put out the fires, and the police moved to clear the demonstrators from Alexander Hall, a women's dormitory. After the policemen claimed to see a sniper in the dormitory, they opened fire, killing Philip Gibbs and James Green and wounding 12 others. The shooting occurred just 11 days after the Kent State shootings.